Interested in working with us? Call us on 1.877.724.7800 or fill out this quick form and we will contact you within 24 hours!

What Our Clients Say

I hired Brian after I was hurt on an offshore oil platform. I would recommend Brian and his law firm to anyone who needed a good injury lawyer, and especially any offshore worker. . ..

Jackie R

Houston, Texas
Brian and his staff are courteous and professional, and they work diligently to make sure the client transitions through the process as easily and comfortably as possible.

Your sincere and satisfied client,

Steve T.

Houston, Texas
I was hurt on a boat offshore. Brian and
his law firm worked hard on my case. The settlement he got for me will
take care of my financial needs for the rest of my life. If you are
looking for someone to take your interests at heart Brian and his law
firm can give you the attention your case deserves.

Tim M.

Austin,
Texas
There are only a small number of attorneys who could handle such a complex case as mine, and Brian was at the top of the list. His response time is unsurpassed, replying within minutes to my initial enquiry. He has an instinctive understanding of the legal issues, and consummate people skills, an essential attribute in the negotiation phase of any litigation. Thanks to Brian the case was settled favorably within a year.

Steven S.,

Wales, U.K.
Brian, your book was a real eye-opener. If I had read your book sooner, I would have avoided a lot of costly mistakes.

Captain Jim Vickers
I was hurt on an offshore oil rig. I was unable to work or get proper medical care from the company. I was referred to Brian by another law firm because that firm knew Brian specialized in Jones Act cases. Brian settled my case in less than 12 months. The settlement will enable me to take care of my family financially for a long time. I would highly recommend Brian and his firm to any injured worker.

Freddy N.,

Lufkin, Texas

View All

Disclaimer

We designed this website to provide information to consumers, injured people, and their families. Our goal is to level the playing field between consumers and insurance companies and expose the tricks, traps, and techniques they use to cheat injured people out of their legal rights. We also let consumers know about legal news, including verdicts and settlements and other interesting legal information.

But please understand that nothing on this website is meant to provide legal information about your specific case, create an attorney-client relationship, or imply that the results of your legal case will be the same as some other case.

Vujasinovic & Beckcom Blog

Maritime Injuries

11/17/2008
Brian Beckcom
Comments (0)

Widow of deceased barge worker sues barge company under Jones Act

A barge worker's widow recently filed a lawsuit against a barge company and a contracting company after her husband was killed.

In the lawsuit, the widow claims that her deceased husband died when he slipped and fell on an icy barge. The barge was empty. The lawsuit claims that the barge company failed to provide the worker with a safe place to work.

About this case and maritime wrongful death claims

Under maritime law, the direct descendants of deceased workers may be able to bring claims for wrongful death. Under most claims, the survivors must prove that the company did something "negligent" to cause the death or that the vessel was "unseaworthy" and that caused the subject accident or death. The damages available differ depending on a lot of factors, but if the survivors were financially dependent on the deceased worker, they generally can collect damages for the loss of financial support.

The negligence standards differ depending on whether the case is a Jones Act case, a Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act case, a General Maritime Law case, or some other case.

Most of the time, only an experienced maritime and Jones Act lawyer will be able to tell you what law you can file under and what claims you can bring.

Most important, don't trust the insurance company to tell you your rights. Hire your own independent lawyer to advise you.

Labels: